Path of Exile 2

[Syt]

So, waiting for the new POE1 league, I installed POE2 again.

Playing blind for now before going to build guides. Started as warrior which didn't feel quite comfortable. Tried ranger next, but quit when I realized I was in trade league, then rolled as sorceress in SSF.

I enjoy it a lot better than my previous attempt (0.2), though I'm only a few levels into Act 1 (finished Red Vale). Only died once so far. I'm using WASD movement and use an MMO mouse, so I can map my action keys to the buttons under my thumb. Also tried gamepad. Feels very good, but aiming is a bit awkward - with WASD I can place frost bombs or flame walls exactly where I want instead of targeting a specific enemy. Menus with gamepad have been improved a lot, but I still like mouse better.

Liking the combat so far, and the ability to use a second weapon (and skill) automatically without manually swapping. Also saw that in late game you get skill points for the passive tree that apply only to weapon set I or II (e.g. put points into shield buffs when using a shield and 2 handed buffs when switching to 2 handed).

Otherwise getting used to some of the changes to skill progression and gear. There's still talk that 1.0 will be out "some time" after Exilecon in November, but I doubt they will add all the missing weapons (no swords yet? ) and classes at that point.

Then again, these are the guys that launched chapter 4 - 10 of the campaign in POE1 in one go, so who knows.

[frunk]

Yeah, I still play one character a league just to see the changes and to see how far I get before the grind gets to me.

There's a lot that's good about the game, but I'm not convinced it'll ever have the replayability of PoE 1.

[crazy canuck]

Syt, you start getting the weapon switch passive points in Act 1.  It's not a late game mechanic.

Swords have not been added because all weapons are class skill specific and the class skills that use the sword haven't been added yet

Frunk, how is replayability any different from Poe?

[Syt]

Syt, you start getting the weapon switch passive points in Act 1.  It's not a late game mechanic.

Swords have not been added because all weapons are class skill specific and the class skills that use the sword

Thanks for the info.

[frunk]

Frunk, how is replayability any different from Poe?

I've covered it previously, but it comes down to the pacing and format.  PoE 2 slows down the movement and combat, which in itself isn't bad.  PoE 1 can go way too fast and I like slower ARPGs, chief among them Grim Dawn.  However they didn't compensate by having fewer combats or making smaller zones, instead they increased the zone size.  That means the grind is a lot higher, not only for getting through the acts but for character development.  It takes longer to get through the act and to level up the character, which means the real fun part of ARPGs (designing the character) happen less often.

When you first play PoE 2 it isn't much of an issue because there's a lot of new and novel elements, but the more you play the more it drags.  I still play one character per league, but I spend maybe only a third or a fourth the time total in a league that I used to in PoE 1.  This is despite the fact that I think a lot of elements are much better designed in PoE 2 than old school PoE 1.

[Syt]

I saw a video that they're working on streamlining the campaign experience a bit for repeat playthroughs, though? Like better signposting where the key bits of each map are?

In POE1 I don't mind too much going through the campaign, because by now I can get through it fairly quickly, even when taking my time. Though every time I play a new league I promise myself to finally pay attention to the story and lore a bit more, but by Act 3 at latest I just ignore it

[crazy canuck]

Frunk, how is replayability any different from Poe?

I've covered it previously, but it comes down to the pacing and format.  PoE 2 slows down the movement and combat, which in itself isn't bad.  PoE 1 can go way too fast and I like slower ARPGs, chief among them Grim Dawn.  However they didn't compensate by having fewer combats or making smaller zones, instead they increased the zone size.  That means the grind is a lot higher, not only for getting through the acts but for character development.  It takes longer to get through the act and to level up the character, which means the real fun part of ARPGs (designing the character) happen less often.

When you first play PoE 2 it isn't much of an issue because there's a lot of new and novel elements, but the more you play the more it drags.  I still play one character per league, but I spend maybe only a third or a fourth the time total in a league that I used to in PoE 1.  This is despite the fact that I think a lot of elements are much better designed in PoE 2 than old school PoE 1.

Every time you enter a zone the mobs change so I'm not sure what the issue is with replayability.

If your issue is the number of mobs in a zone then that's just a pacing issue isn't it? I'm not sure what that has to do with replayability.

Also, the endgame zones go much quicker and are very similar to POE, with the audited advantage that there is a superior crafting system.

[crazy canuck]

I saw a video that they're working on streamlining the campaign experience a bit for repeat playthroughs, though? Like better signposting where the key bits of each map are?

In POE1 I don't mind too much going through the campaign, because by now I can get through it fairly quickly, even when taking my time. Though every time I play a new league I promise myself to finally pay attention to the story and lore a bit more, but by Act 3 at latest I just ignore it

They already have it. As you play through the campaign, take note of the arrows that are directing you to the places that you should be going.

Also, the zones aren't actually that big. It's much smaller than a zone in Grimm Dawn for example.  And the devs have caved into the criticism that it took too long to get through a zone and some of them are basically on rail tracks so you're always moving exactly where you're supposed to go to get to the next boss.

It's the part of the game I like the least. But that's instant gratification the player base wants.